A great deal of .beta.-blockers such as (S)-Timolol, (S)-Propranolol, (S)-Atenolol, (S)-Metoprolol, ##STR3## etc. for hypertension patients consist of a primary structure of 3-amino-1,2-propandiol. Those are synthesized in individual processes, such as the synthesis of (S)-Timolol reported by Weinstock, L. M.; Mulvery, D. M.; Tull, R. J. Org. Chem. 1976, 41, 3121. However, when using PbOAc.sub.4 during the process in mass production, the pollution causing by products create a waste disposal problem. Another method of synthesizing (S)-Propranolol was reported on Carlsen, P. H. J., Aase, K. Acta. Chem. Scand. 1993, 737.
All of the .beta.-blockers used for hypertension patients have the same primary structure of 3-amino-1,2-propandiol. It would be valuable to develop a common method to produce those different .beta.-blockers through the same synthetic pathway by selecting proper reagents or starting materials.